Get your IVA back, clear customs smoothly and shop smart at Cancun Airport.
Flying through Cancun International Airport (CUN)? This guide explains how foreign tourists can claim back Mexico's 16% IVA, what you can bring into Mexico duty-free, how the customs "traffic light" works, which items to leave at home and how duty-free differs from a tax refund.
Your route through the rules
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16% IVA refund
Foreign visitors can claim back IVA on qualifying goods bought at participating stores.
MXN 1,200 minimum
Spend at least MXN 1,200 per participating store; cash purchases count only up to MXN 3,000.
Traffic light customs
Arriving passengers may be selected at random for a baggage inspection.
Vapes are banned
Importing e-cigarettes, vapes and e-liquids into Mexico is prohibited.
How Mexico's Tourist Tax Refund Works
Getting the 16% IVA back on your shopping
Mexico runs a tourist tax refund scheme that lets non-resident visitors leaving the country by air or sea recover the 16% Value Added Tax (IVA) included in the price of qualifying goods. Refunds are handled through authorised refund operators, commonly seen at airports under names such as MoneyBack or Tax Back.
Unlike duty-free shopping after security, a tax refund applies to goods you buy in participating shops in Mexico during your trip, for example in Cancun, Playa del Carmen or elsewhere in the Riviera Maya.
Foreign tourists
For visitors who are not Mexican residents and who leave Mexico by air or sea within the time limit set by the rules.
Pay by card
Card purchases are the safest route; cash purchases only count towards a refund up to MXN 3,000.
Participating stores
Look for tax-free signage, and ask the shop for the invoice and refund paperwork when you pay.
Do Your Purchases Qualify?
Check these rules before you go to the refund desk
Usually qualifies
- Goods bought from a participating shop in Mexico
- A total of at least MXN 1,200 per shop, including IVA
- New, unused goods you take out of Mexico in your luggage, such as clothing, crafts, electronics or jewellery
- Purchases backed by the original invoice and payment proof
Does not qualify
- Hotel stays and accommodation
- Restaurant meals and drinks
- Car rentals, tours and excursions
- Food and goods used or consumed in Mexico
- Duty-free purchases made after security
How to Claim Your Tax Refund at Cancun Airport
Four steps, best done before check-in
Shop and keep the paperwork
At participating stores, ask for the invoice and refund documents when you pay. Pay by card where possible, and make sure the details match your passport.
Find the refund desk
At Cancun Airport, look for the tax refund desk in your departure terminal and do this first, before checking in your bags or going through security, unless staff tell you otherwise.
Show your documents and goods
Bring your passport, boarding pass, original invoices and payment proof. Keep the goods with you, as they may be inspected.
Receive your refund
Once approved, the refund, minus the operator's fee, is paid by the method the operator offers, such as to your card. Ask how and when you will receive it.
Mexico Customs Allowances on Arrival at CUN
What you can bring in without paying duty
When you arrive in Mexico, you can bring your personal belongings and a duty-free allowance of goods. Anything above the allowance must be declared, and duty may apply. Limits and rules can change, so check the current SAT (Mexican tax and customs authority) guidance before you travel.
Personal belongings
Clothing, footwear, toiletries and personal items for your trip, plus personal electronics such as a phone, laptop or camera.
Alcohol (18+)
Up to 3 litres of alcoholic beverages and up to 6 litres of wine.
Tobacco (18+)
A limited quantity of cigarettes, cigars or tobacco. Check SAT's current limits before you fly.
Cash over US$10,000
Cash and monetary instruments of US$10,000 or more (or the equivalent) must be declared.
How the Customs "Traffic Light" Works
Tap to see what each light means
After collecting your checked luggage and handing in your customs declaration where required, you may pass through Mexico's random selection system, known as the semáforo fiscal. You press a button, and a light decides whether your bags are inspected.
Green: carry on
You can usually continue to the exit without an inspection. A green light does not exempt you from declaring goods you are required to declare.
Red: inspection
Customs officers will check your luggage. It is a random selection, not an accusation; open your bags as asked and answer questions calmly.
Prohibited and Restricted Items
Leave these at home
Mexico prohibits the import of electronic cigarettes, vaping devices and their e-liquids and cartridges. Customs officers can confiscate these items, and penalties may apply.
Cannabis and THC products are illegal to bring into Mexico, and CBD products are subject to strict rules; the safest choice is not to pack them. Fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and other animal or plant products are also restricted for biosecurity reasons and may be confiscated.
Do not pack
Duty-Free Shopping at Cancun Airport
Tax-free shopping after security
Cancun Airport has duty-free shops in its departure areas, where international travellers can buy goods without local taxes. Popular choices include tequila and mezcal, perfumes and cosmetics, sunglasses and travel-exclusive gifts.
Tequila and mezcal
Duty-free shops stock a wide range of tequilas and mezcals, including premium and travel-exclusive bottles. If you have a connecting flight, ask for liquids to be packed in a sealed security bag (STEB) and keep the receipt.
Perfume, cosmetics and gifts
Browse fragrances, cosmetics, sunglasses and gifts once you are through security. Compare prices: standard brands are not always cheaper than in local shops.
| Duty-free | IVA tax refund | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you buy | Airport shops after security | Participating shops during your trip |
| How you save | No local tax charged at the till | IVA reclaimed before you leave, minus a fee |
| Paperwork | Boarding pass at the till | Invoices, payment proof and passport at the refund desk |
Cancun Airport Terminals: What to Know
Find your refund desk and shops in the right building
Cancun Airport has separate terminal buildings, and your airline decides which one you use. Refund desks, duty-free shops and lounges are not identical in every terminal, so confirm your departure terminal first and ask information staff where the tax refund desk is in that building.
Check your terminal
Your booking or airline app shows which terminal you depart from.
Ask information desks
Staff can point you to the refund desk before you check in.
